I'm teaching my clay class for adults, and we are building up to the main course of creativity....the making of a teapot! We began on the first day with pinch pots which developed into something quite unique for each student, for some it morphed into a vase, another a turtle, there was a dish for laundry room soap and so on. They all began with no idea where it would end up. As the clay took it's form in their hands so to did the ideas of what this might actually turn out to be! It was all very exciting!

We just finished our seventh of the ten classes, the pinch pot is now history, also the mug, and now we are into teapots big time. 

So as any teacher would I taught them the key elements needed to make the pot work. Also how what they'd made till now actually prepared them for this next challenge...I mean project. You don't want to frighten anyone into a frozen mode on the cusp of beginning this wonderful new experience....the tea pot!

So I also made one, following all the rules I'd taught the class! Well, again maybe not. Somewhere in the process I remembered seeing  these log, or tree trunk textured kind of teapots and decided I'd try one. Well, in doing this I still followed most everything according to the rules I'd just expounded on but then remembered that this was now becoming a tree trunk, something natural in nature, it could not be made like I'd just said it should! I could not make something of nature appear all lined up in rows like us humans like to do! 

For example trees don't sprout and grow arranging themselves in straight lines, like we do when we plant trees. We like our hedges, and our shelter belts to include trees growing in lines and rows!  But with a tree trunk kind of teapot I realized I was going against the grain with that idea. (Pun indented!)

So here's the result! The bark texture would not work with straight lines in a row. That would make it another "mechanical" kind of teapot and not "organic" at all. Secondly, there were the knots, they too would have to be just spread around haphazardly to make this work. And then, the handle. Take a peek at the picture below, I had just taught my class that the handle had to be in line with the spout for it to work. Well, now that you see the picture you can appreciate how a very straight handle would just not do. So I had the joy of rebelling against the teachers rants on several levels, including the final flourish of putting a twist and/or bend into the handle. Don't worry, I was hoping my teacher would be ok with all these adjustments.

So you see, sometimes we just have to ignore the rules and go with our gut, create something new, original, being ourselves and trusting our own instincts. That is the challenge, beauty, adventure and true joy of creativity.

Since 2016 when Andrew came into  my life with a camera, life had been a bit strange! Now that's saying something because for the last 33 years things have been pretty strange, I have to say not much was normal, everything was strange.

But to have a camera show up here and there was often a surprise and interesting. It was a bit disconcerting for my art studio companions and my art class, but they just got used to it, I think. They were all very kind anyways and hid their discomfort very well, Thanks guys. Anyways, on evening of June 18 there will be a premier showing of a documentary on me and my work called "Suspended, the "Art" of Forgiveness" showing at Jubilee Place (MBCI) here in Winnipeg.

It was of course Andrew Wall of Refuge 31 Films who was the culprit. 

You see, other's have suggested they film us, but nothing really ever came of it, but this time it was different. Andrew just kept on showing up and actually became more than an acquaintance but a friend, in spite of his ever present camera. We would have great talks while he filmed. The only time it got a little tense would be when I'd accidentally hit the lens, not realizing how close he was filming my artistic attempts. 

There are two things it seems, that go on in the act of filming an artist at work. First, it's the artist's problem, because when artists work they forget about everything around them. They get totally engrossed.  Secondly, it's about the filmmaker, the conversation seems so natural. There is empathy there, there is that deceptive admiration, and there is that calming tone of voice which deceives the artist who in his "right minded state" is helpless, confessing things and saying things you might say to a best friend. Forgetting of course it's all recorded both visually and verbally and will one day end up on a screen the size of a wall!

it's only when he leaves with that satisfied smile you realize somethings kind of wrong here. You try hard to remember what you all said and realize you've been had. That he totally took advantage of you as you worked on your stuff, you having totally mentally parked yourself in your right brain world that only sees and feels shape, texture, and color. If it hears anything it only soothing voices with no filters for conversational content! Ouch! 

So Andrew, you did it, congratulations and thank you, I think! It all seemed quite fun at the time, but now to see it on the "big screen" gives me pause. I pray it will be an encouragement to all. 
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